TOLEDO, Ohio — It might have happened to you.
In the wake of COVID-19, Toledo city leaders say they sent out incorrect water bills to multiple Toledoans.
"What happened is it threw off the estimation process for our billing system so we're putting out sometimes inaccurate estimations which is causing a lot of frustration for our customers," Ed Moore, Toledo's director of utilities, said.
But a solution is coming. Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and his administration are introducing a new smart meter system to provide much more accurate readings and capable of sending updates directly to your email or phone.
"This is going to make it more efficient, this is going to make the collection of the bills more timely. We will for the first time have real-time tracking of your water usage and therefore your bill," Kapszukiewicz said.
the project comes with a $70 million price tag, but it's happening now because the city was able to team up with multinational company Johnson Controls to help foot the bill and the rest is paid for through bonds, so Toledoans won't pay a cent.
City leaders say that by providing truly accurate measurements for the first time, this new smart system will guarantee no more incorrect water bills.
The mayor says the upgrade is mandatory for all Toledoans but free for residents, and they plan to replace all 116,000 meters within the city limits.
That means once you get a notice in the mail, all you'll have to do is schedule a time for installation and let the installer do the rest.
"When you schedule you'll have a two-hour block, but it really should only take sixty minutes at best for the installer to come in, change the meter, and leave," said Dan Mack, an account executive for Johnson Controls.
Kapsukiewicz says while this might not be his biggest project he's seen in terms of dollar volume, in terms of size and scale it might be their biggest plan yet, saying it not only fixes an issue nagging Toledoans, it takes the city a step forward.
"This is an industry best practice. Smart cities are successful cities, and this is one step toward making Toledo a smart city," Kapszukiewicz said.
The mayor says the installations will begin as early as this week, and it could take up to two years to complete.
The city says homeowners near Sylvania and Talmadge in west Toledo should get their scheduling letters first.